Boat builders in Arkansas say they have slowed production in response to a reduction in demand.

Ranger Boats at Flippin, which specializes in sport-fishing boats, instituted a work-share agreement with employees to abbreviate its work week to two shifts, three days a week.

Ranger president Randy Hopper says the company has about 800 production workers who make the top-selling 12-model line of Ranger bass boats and 31 other boat models for saltwater fishing and recreation.

At BassCat Boats in Midway, the company has temporarily reduced its workforce by 17. BassCat says it is winding down the 2008 model year at a volume 7.5 percent higher than the 2007 model year.

But he said it would be difficult to sustain that kind of growth for the 2009 model year and that production is reduced.

Both manufacturers said the July and August model year closeouts are traditionally slow times for the boat business and they both generally have up to two weeks off before retooling for the new models.
      
     

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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